Other Open Games

Wayfinder

The wayfinder is a blend of artistry, magic, and technology. Reverse-engineered from half-understood artifacts, wayfinders combine the function of a mundane compass with magical utility and—a somewhat guarded secret—the power to enhance the function of ioun stones. Within each wayfinder is a fine lattice of wire, spun of silver, gold, or even more precious metals. This lattice channels and amplifies the natural energy of the ioun stone, extending its benefits to the owner as long as the wayfinder is held or kept close to the body. Inserting or removing an ioun stone is a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity. Some wayfinders have multiple slots for ioun stones; these usually—but not always—function independently (an enhanced power from the first slot has nothing to do with the enhanced power of the second slot, whether or not another stone is present).

Though any spellcaster with the proper ability can create a new wayfinder, most are decades or centuries old, passed down from mentor to student or through family lines.

Contrary to popular belief, the basic version most associated with the Global Explorerers is not the only type of wayfinder.

Wayfinder (Standard)

DESCRIPTION

A small magical device patterned off ancient relics of a long lost civilization, a wayfinder is typically made from silver and bears gold accents. With a command word, you can use a wayfinder to shine (as the light spell). The wayfinder also acts as a nonmagical (magnetic) compass, granting you a +2 circumstance bonus on Survival checks to avoid becoming lost. All wayfinders include a small indentation designed to hold a single ioun stone. An ioun stone slotted in this manner grants you its normal benefits (as if it were orbiting your head), but frequently reveals entirely new powers due to the magic of the wayfinder itself.

Wayfinders and Ioun Stones

Within each wayfinder is a fine lattice of wires that serve to channel the power of ioun stones, allowing the owner of a wayfinder to benefit from a stone's power without the attendant risk of having a valuable item orbiting around her head. In addition, the magic worked into the wayfinder amplifies the power of the ioun stone, usually (about 75% of the time) unlocking new abilities in addition to the stone's normal power. Unfortunately, the energy required is such that the magical properties of the wayfinder itself are diverted to power the ioun stone, temporarily negating the wayfinder's normal abilities. The mechanism of using a wayfinder to boost the power of an ioun stone is usually called augmenting, channeling, enhancing, or resonating.

The resonant aura of a wayfinder interacting with an ioun stone can be detected and identified with detect magic (or similar spells) and the Spellcraft skill, just like any other magic item.

The auras of multiple augmenting wayfinders tend to interfere with each other; a person with one who tries to hold or carry a second usually finds that both sputter out in just a few seconds, but activate again once the second one is set aside. Some advanced, expensive wayfinders may hold more than one ioun stone at the same time and still function (though another wayfinder can interfere if brought too close).

To determine what effect a wayfinder has on an ioun stone, select one of the following methods.

Method 1, The Static Assignment: All ioun stones of a particular color and shape react exactly the same way to all wayfinders. This is the easiest and fastest method, but lacks variety and allows the PCs to easily predict what a new stone or device will do when combined. For a listing of these combinations, see below.

Method 2, The Random Roll: Each combination of an ioun stone and a wayfinder requires a roll on a table to see what resonant power it gains. This methods allows for a lot of variety but requires bookkeeping to track each unique stone's augmented power, and also makes it difficult for the PCs to predict what any particular combination may be. See the table on page 53.

Resonant Powers (Method 1)

The resonant powers of the most common forms of ioun stones are listed below. If the power is a feat, the bearer gains that feat as a bonus feat even if he does not meet its prerequisites.

Dark blue rhomboid: The wearer no longer suffer penalties on Perception checks for being distracted or asleep; during sleep the wearer may remain open-eyed and fully aware of his environment, though he is still helpless against undetected threats until he actually wakes up.

Orange prism: Every time the bearer casts a spell, roll 1d4–2 and add this (and the +1 caster level granted by the normal power of the ioun stone) to his caster level. If this modified caster level is too low to cast the spell, the spell fails and is lost.

Pale lavender ellipsoid: If the bearer is holding the wayfinder, he may use the stone's absorption ability as an immediate action instead of a readied action.

Pale orange rhomboid: A soul held within the stone can remain there indefinitely as long as the wayfinder remains on the soul's original body. If the wayfinder is removed from the body, the ioun stone's resonant power is suppressed until the wayfinder is replaced.

Pale ruby trillian: Increase by 10 feet the distance the bearer may fall safely (stacks with other effects that increase this distance, such as making Acrobatics checks or falling into water).

Stone contains the knowledge of one language, which the bearer may read and speak fluently.

40

Stone is intelligent (two mental ability scores of 10, one of 14; speech; 30-ft. senses; determine alignment with Table 15–21 in the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook). There is a 25% chance the stone has at least one power.

Stone knows a 1st-level arcane spell. If the bearer is a caster who prepares arcane spells, he may prepare this spell as if it were in his spellbook. If the bearer is a caster who spontaneously casts arcane spells, he may cast this spell as if it were a spell he knew. This has no effect if the spell is not on his spell list or he cannot cast arcane spells.

84

Stone holds a 1st-level divine spell; otherwise as result 83.

85

Stone holds a 2nd-level arcane spell; otherwise as result 83.

86

Stone holds a 2nd-level divine spell; otherwise as result 83.

87

Teleport 1/week to a location designated at the time of the stone's creation.